


A Gift In Hand

by Bellflower



Category: Samurai Warriors
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-10
Updated: 2011-04-10
Packaged: 2017-10-17 21:41:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/181442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellflower/pseuds/Bellflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everyone wished death upon the traitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift In Hand

Mitsuhide was alive.

Ieyasu knew that the soft-hearted man’s body had not been found after Hideyoshi claimed victory at Yamazaki, but he was still a little surprised to hear this news. After killing Lord Nobunaga and losing his closest friend, Chōsokabe Motochika? A man that defined by his gentle nature, by his tendency to doubt himself, must surely have considered seppuku.

But he lived. Alone and wallowing in his sorrow and grief, but breathing. There were probably few who would have been glad of this, and the knowledge of it might have caused most men to seek revenge or justice for the crime of betrayal. But Ieyasu was not most men. He’d been relieved when Hanzo had given him information of Mitsuhide’s current whereabouts and after getting a certain precious item mended had arranged to pay him a visit.

That had not been easy to do. As someone of such a high rank Ieyasu was well aware that his movements were closely watched. Lord Hideyoshi, now ruler of the land, was a good man, but he was not a foolish one. It had taken time and patience, with a lot of planning, before the right opportunity presented itself.

Staring up at the hut, his small squad of bodyguards ordered to stay back, Ieyasu felt a wave of sympathy for Mitsuhide. Reduced to the life of a hermit within a tiny dwelling, going by a fake name… no companions, no purpose, nothing but the rising and setting of the sun to even indicate that time moved forward. Would the former samurai even know for sure how many days he’d lived here?

There was nothing he could do to heal Mitsuhide’s heart and help him move forward with his life… at least not yet. With a lot of patience and care it could be possible in the future, but for the moment, a gift would have to do.

Ieyasu stepped forward, walked up the path and entered the dwelling with care.

“Lord Tenkai,” he said, addressing the man he found there by his fake name. “I hope you do not mind my intrusion.”

Mitsuhide, who had been sat in one corner eating, stared at him with an almost unreadable expression. Was there fear there? Uncertainty? Too many emotions passed behind his eyes, too many for Ieyasu to be able to give a name to them. What he could say for certain was that Mitsuhide looked tired and almost unwell; his already pale complexion was unhealthily white, his eyes bloodshot and underlined with dark circles. The grief was worn clearly. He had been neglecting himself.

Ieyasu knelt, placing the boxed gift on the floor as he did so. Mitsuhide said nothing, though his gaze flickered to the box for a moment. It was more than likely he suspected something harmful.

“I have an offering,” continued Ieyasu, trying to make his tone as reassuring as possible.

He leaned forward to open the box himself, removing the coverings within after he did so. There, nestled within, was the shamisen of the late Motochika.

Mitsuhide’s reaction was immediate. All fear, all wariness, it disappeared in an instant as he moved forward quickly and took the instrument into his lap. Calloused hands ran along its length, touching the strings, running across the blue and gold paintwork. His eyes grew bright, hints of tears there, though they did not fall.

Raising his head, Mitsuhide gave Ieyasu a look of such gratitude that Ieyasu found himself reminded of just how handsome this other man could be. The expression seemed to banish the shadows in his face, for just a moment.

“Thank you…” said Mitsuhide, voice quiet and slightly cracked. “This means more than you could possibly know.”

“I simply brought it to the place it should be,” replied Ieyasu, bowing his head. “Such an instrument should not remain silent.”

“No… no, it shouldn’t.”

Mitsuhide looked back down at it, and Ieyasu smiled a little. Reaching out, he placed a hand on the other man’s shoulder. Motochika could not stand and watch over his beloved friend anymore, so Ieyasu would do what he could not.

**Author's Note:**

> Vague Motochika/Mitsuhide, otherwise, genfic. I've always believed, after seeing Mitsuhide's pre-Sekigahara movie, that Ieyasu must have visited him quite a few more times in the years beforehand. Also: GAH Ieyasu, you are trickier to write than I expected.


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